Changing flags

Published on Tuesday 14 February 2012 00:00

I WAS pleased to find, here in East Anglia, a Manual of Heraldry published in Edinburgh in 1937 by John Grant.

In a section about the Union Jack (yes, that is the official name according to this book), the editor, Sir Francis J Grant, Lord Lyon King of Arms, tells us: “It was first composed in 1601 by conjoining the flag of England with that of Scotland, the red cross of St George being superimposed on the Scottish ensign.

“As the Scottish people resented this placing of the English cross on the top of their flag, it was generally flown in Scotland with the Scottish saltire above the St George’s Cross until 1707, when the Jack was declared to be the flag of Great Britain.”

Subsequently, of course, the red saltire of St Patrick was added in 1801 to produce the flag we know today. I wonder how Sir Francis would have felt about the prospect of the Jack being amended yet again to allow for the departure of Scotland from the United Kingdom.

John Tavner

Coopers Lane

Dedham, Essex

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mickymonkey

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 05:26 PM

No thanks drumminor - we've got too many "union jocks" already!

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drumminor

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 03:56 PM

I agree. The Union Jack is inappropriate for use in Scotland under a devolved structure. So long as Scotland remains in the union let us have the saltire superimposed on the cross of St George and call it the Union Jock.

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Jingo

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 10:21 AM

The st Patriock's Cross was an English invention (it even has the English colours) which is why it was not adopted by Ireland when it became independent.

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samcoldstream

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 09:43 AM

At one time or another throughout history, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark were all in some form of union or another. The Scandinavian Union came into being long before the one in the British Isles? The banner of the Scandinavian Union was known as the...... Union Jack, incorporating the cross design flags of all these nations. The Union slowly broke up, and In 1905, the then poor Norway negotiated its independence from Denmark. After 1905, millions emigrated from Norway to the United States. Now all the Nordic countries have amongst the highest GDP figures anywhere in the economic world.

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Curious Yellow

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 09:27 AM

Does it matter a toss which flag is 'superimposed' on which? If you're going to combine two, or even three, flags, you are bound to have this happen. Perhaps the UJ should never have been in the first place, and new flag devised? Never too late....

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murren59

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 01:42 AM

Yes, isn't it wonderful in this equal union to have the St.George cross of England superimposed over the Scottish Saltire? Then adding further insult in 1801 by placing the St.Patrick's Cross on to our alreay fragmented portion of the UJ. That begs the question, why is St.Pat's Cross still on the UJ? Obviously not because of a London loving NI that prefers the St.George Cross with the Red Hand (of 34) Ulster. And what about 'our UK's' Royal Ravy Ensign with Scotland's already greatly reduced presence in the UJ flag placed in the upper left quadrant of the St.George Cross? England expects and all that... No doubt the usual anti-Scottish London lapdogs will say we are being too 'chippy' about this...

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Cynicus

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 01:33 AM

In a section about the Union Jack (yes, that is the official name according to this book), the editor, Sir Francis J Grant, Lord Lyon King of Arms, tells us: “It was first composed in 1601 by conjoining the flag of England with that of Scotland, the red cross of St George being superimposed on the Scottish ensign. ===================================================== 1601? But James VI, King of Scots, id not acquire the English throne until 2 years later. The Virgin Queen would not have been pleased that Slabberin Jamie was designing flags before she shuffled off the mortal coil.

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jerrygreg

Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 12:42 AM

Well, I was all for independence, but I wouldn't want to offend the memory of a dead man, or ruin the wonderful colour scheme on a flag, so let's nail our Jack to the mast and keep this union.

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